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There is a head-spinning variety of cat foods out there, but the most basic distinctions can be drawn based on moisture content. Dry cat food, the familiar dehydrated kibble, contains 6-10% water (1, 2). Semi-moist food is 15-30% water (2). Canned food has a moisture content of at least 75% (1, 2). Generally speaking, the higher the moisture content, the higher the price and the lower the convenience, so dry food is a very popular choice. But is it the best choice for our cats’ health?
Because kibble is already dehydrated, it doesn’t dry out if left in the bowl for long periods of time, so it lends itself to the convenience of free-feeding. Cats usually like to eat lots of small meals, and let’s face it, people like to be lazy, so this arrangement is often mutually agreeable. We’ll discuss in another part of this series why free-feeding may not be ideal, at least for some cats, but regardless it is often what busy people resort to, and dry food makes that easy. Dry food can also be bought in bulk and will last a long time if stored properly in a cool, dry place. And, again, it’s usually cheap.
Human concerns are not the only reason why someone would feed their cat dry food, however. It has long been thought that kibble helps clean cats’ teeth, preventing and/or treating dental disease. Veterinarians sometimes recommend it for this purpose (3). The idea is that chewing the hard bits of kibble mechanically scrapes the teeth clean of plaque buildup (3), and there has been some scientific evidence supporting the idea that dry food does, in fact, prevent periodontal disease (4). More widely, however, the evidence does not support the idea that dry food cleans cats’ teeth, and there is good reason why it wouldn’t (3).
As mentioned in part one, cats are obligate carnivores. They evolved to eat meat exclusively. As such, their teeth are made for biting and tearing, not chewing (3). Plant matter includes tough cell walls that need to be broken down, so animals that are meant to eat plants do a lot of chewing (3). Carnivores just bite off manageable chunks and swallow them whole (3, 5). That is usually what cats do with kibble. They swallow it whole. Sometimes they bite the kibble, but when they do, the hard but brittle kibble shatters on the biting edges of the teeth and doesn’t do anything to scrape the teeth clean (3, 6).
As far as the nutrition of dry food goes, it isn’t great news, either. Dry cat food is typically high in carbohydrates, on average 35-50% by calories (6). Cats neither need carbohydrates, nor can they digest them well, due to their biology as obligate carnivores. They need a diet high in animal protein with a moderate amount of fat (see part one).
Not all dry foods are created equal, of course, but even grain-free dry foods can still be high in carbohydrates if they simply replace grains with potatoes or peas (6). It’s also common for much of the protein in dry food to come from plant matter, but plant proteins do not contain all of the amino acids that cats need (6). The missing nutrients are supposed to be added back in, otherwise the food won’t meet required nutrition standards, but pet nutritionists are still learning exactly what cats need.
With all that being said, is dry cat food just the worst? Well, no, trying to make a cat vegan or feeding them a diet of human food would probably be the worst. When I looked up veterinarian opinions on whether dry or wet food was better, there were mixed opinions. Some were adamant that cats should only be fed canned/wet food (i.e. 3, 6). Others said it didn’t matter (i.e. 5), or it depended upon the cat. I didn’t come across anyone who was a staunch defender of dry food, but there were definitely professionals who had no quarrel with it. I’ll touch on semi-moist food at the end, since it is kind of a weird middle ground, but first let’s take a look at wet food.
Wet food, which as far as I know only comes in cans, can vary in quality but is always notable for its high water content, up to 84% (7). Cats should consume about 20-70 ml of water per kg of body weight per day (8). But cats are descended from Felis lybica, a desert wildcat, so they have a low thirst drive. They tend to obtain most of their water from their food. Prey would normally contain 70-75% water (6). Studies have demonstrated that cats can avoid dehydration without drinking any water at all as long as they are given food with at least 67% moisture content (7, 9, 10).
Of course, a cat should never be without fresh water, but it goes to show just how important dietary water is to cats. Canned food replicates the water content of prey well and helps keep cats hydrated. This prevents urinary and kidney problems, which are common in cats and can be very dangerous (3, 5, 6, 11). Cats fed dry food will drink more water, but they don’t drink enough to compensate, resulting in dehydration and possibly health problems (6).
Canned food is usually higher in protein and made with more animal ingredients than dry food, although cheap, low-quality canned food may still be more plant-based. Reading labels is important, even though pet food labels are not as informative as human food labels. When doing so, keep in mind that the amounts of nutrients are listed as percentages, so the more moisture a food has, the less of other nutrients it may seem to have. Some math may be required to determine the comparative dry weight nutrient content.
Canned food isn’t perfect. A positive correlation has been demonstrated in cats between hyperthyroidism and eating canned food (5, 12). The cause of the correlation is unknown, although there are a number of theories, one of which suggests that the actual cause is a fire-retardant chemical present mostly in indoor fabrics, not the food (13). However, until we know more, all that can be said for sure is that a correlation has been found.
Semi-moist food comes in plastic pouches or trays, which often aren’t recyclable, so I have to say it isn’t my preference just because of the environmental impact of all that plastic. However, semi-moist food provides cats with quite a bit more water than dry food while not going bad in the bowl as quickly as wet food, so it can be a good compromise between a cat’s need for dietary water a human’s busy schedule. Semi-moist food tends to feature animal ingredients as the main event, providing more protein and a more species-appropriate dish than many dry foods (1). Those pouches and trays are pre-portioned and easy to dump in the bowl, but do be careful that the portion it comes in is right for your cat if you choose this option.
Because cats are the domesticated version of a desert animal, dietary water is extremely important. If for this reason and no other, canned food, ideally a high-quality, meat-forward one, would be the best option. Not everyone can afford the most expensive, gourmet canned food, however. Cheap canned food or semi-moist food is still a good option. A 2010 study showed that cats exhibited better urinary health if water was simply added to their dry food (11). We all have to figure out the best plan for ourselves and our cats. If your cat has specific dietary needs, and you aren’t sure how that would affect what form of food would be best for them, it’s always a good idea to ask your veterinarian.
Works Cited
- Cornell Feline Health Center. (2017, July). Feeding your cat. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Retrieved here.
- Feuer, D. (2006). Your Cat’s Nutritional Needs. National Research Council.
- Kelsey, A. (2014). 6 reasons why dry food does not clean your cat’s teeth. Cat Behaviourist. http://www.catbehaviourist.com/blog/6-reasons-dry-food-clean-cats-teeth/
- Watson, A.D. (1994). Diet and periodontal disease in dogs and cats. Australian Veterinary Journal, 71(10), 313-318. DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1994.tb00905.x
- Barchas, E. (2017, July 31). Ask a vet: Would you recommend wet food or dry food for cats? Catster. https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/wet-dry-cat-health-canned-food-kibble-cats-ask-a-vet
- Pierson, L.A. (2016, November). Feeding your cat: Know the basics of feline nutrition. CatInfo.org. https://catinfo.org/
- Case, L.P., et al (1995). Canine and feline nutrition. Mosby, Inc.
- Ackerman, N. (Ed.). (2016) Aspinall’s complete textbook of veterinary nursing, 3rd edition. Elsevier.
- Prentiss, P.G., Wolf, A.V., Eddy, H.A. (1959). Hydropenia in cat and dog. Ability of the cat to meet its water requirements solely from a diet of fish or meat. American Journal of Physiology, 196(3), 625-632. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajplegacy.1959.196.3.625
- Caldwell, G.T. (1931). Studies in water metabolism of the cat. The influence of dehydration on blood concentration, thermoregulation, respiratory exchange, and metabolic-water production. Physiological Zoology, 4(2), 324-359. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/30151145
- Waltham Petcare Science Institute. (n.d.) Cats benefit from increased dietary moisture. https://www.waltham.com/news-events/nutrition/cats-benefit-from-increased-dietary-moisture/5548/
- Edinboro, C.H., et al. (2004). Epidemiologic study of relationships between consumption of commercial canned food and risk of hyperthyroidism in cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 224(6), 879-886. DOI: 10.2460/javma.2004.224.879
- Hofve, J. (n.d.) Feline hyperthyroidism. Jackson Galaxy. https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/blog/feline-hyperthyroidism/
Published July 12th, 2020
Updated November 21st, 2020
